Can’t find the thread anymore, but someone recently wrote that they thought having a high salary would hinder their chance of getting the flat assigned to them. I always thought the opposite was true. Now I am unsure.
What do you think? Better a higher or lower (but still high enough to afford the rent, of course) salary? Also, how could that change depending on whether the flat is rented out by a bank/company vs a private?
This was the thread you mean I guess.
I had the same impression as you. Higher salary = better chances, unless it is a subsidized housing or some ‘Genossenschaft’ with the clear goal to provide housing for people with lower income.
If the landlord has a large portfolio, it’s in their interests to pick someone who can afford it, but can’t afford something more expensive.
(because if every landlord does that, then they can rent their fancy new built with 2.5 rooms at 4k)
This assumes some kind of cartel, which I don’t believe exists.
I’ve heard that they don’t like when (especially alone) you rent a place very cheap with an high salary because they believe it’s temporary and you won’t stay for long knowing you can afford better. And you moving means more problems for the Regie.
I also applied at a cheap place for my salary and the previous tenant never shared my “dossier” with the Regie, saying I was earning too much (?!). I also felt anti-corporation vibes so me arriving dressed with a suit might also have influenced her decisionion.
Isn’t that to their advantage? When I move out, there is often a rent increase for the new tenant.
There’s a sweet spot. Having gone through the hassle of finding tenants I’d want them to stick around a few years.
At least for Zurich there’s a few landlords with many properties (e.g. pension funds) and there a few fairly large real estate management companies (assuming they also have a say in picking the renters).
I think a landlord would prefer one people than two people, if the total salary is the same.
Because if one of the two people leave (separation, divorced), he/she wouldn’t be able to pay.
I disagree. A single person might also move out to join a partner. Also, for a couple, if one loses his/her job in a couple, they might still very well be able to afford the rent.
I think high income earners are refused low rental properties because of social issues. There is a lot of discussion regarding affordable housing so maybe landlords are trying to support that.
In general for a landlord in city like Zurich it’s much better if tenants leave more frequently because they can increase the rent more than inflation/standard increase. In fact there are some apartments in city center where tenants live for decades because they don’t want to leave rent controlled apartments.
However how can they figure this out is not so easy.
Nationality is also a point. Lots of landlord just don’t like to rent their flat to a foreigner and will prefer a Swiss even if his salary is lower than the foreigner. They think (or fear) the will never show back their money if the foreigner goes to his country.
I rented a 2.5 rooms flat (1’140.-) with a very low fixed salary (2’300.- a month) without any problem or question. My girlfriend earned at that periode even less (1’000.-). I’m sure it would have never happened if we were foreigner.
There is no need enter any CHF amounts on these applications.
Just say you earn more than “X” (where X is some amount that will make the landlord accept you) and have them confirm it with your employer.
That way, the entire problem of “you’re too rich* for this place, what’s wrong with you” goes away.
*many people think high income earners are rich, topic for another day 
I totally like this way of handling things but I see two issues:
This is the issue in CH, there is so much request and so little offer that playing by the rules is not enough (people also say you should never send a photocopy of your ID/passport, but again they will simply discard your application if you refuse)
I heard of landlords not only wanted to a copy of the payslip but requested authorization to speak with the payroll team of the employer to validate the authenticity of the pay slip (!!!).